Beyond Good and Evil
by xo going nowhere
Summary: AU. God himself must have been dozing off when he allowed Haley James and Lucas Scott to join forces. Together, the unscrupulous stepsiblings have the world at their feet and it's people at their mercy. But sometimes even the mightiest fall...
1. No Rest For The Wicked

Hey guys. Lol, I know that I have **no** business starting another story, but the idea came to me because of a challenge at a group I'm part of, Writers911, and it was just too good to pass up. So yeah, soon both my Cruel Intentions and One Tree Hill stories (**_Breaking the Broken_** and **_At the Heart of It All_**) will be updated, but for now, here's a story combining them both. I'm posting the first chapter here to see what you guys think of it, so please be honest.

**Beyond Good and Evil**

_Chapter One: No Rest For The Wicked  
_

"Oh my gawsh, thanks so much Hales. I totally get it now," the teen squealed with the giddiness of someone much younger. Most people would be off-set by this, but not Haley James. Her perfect smile remained in place, kindness radiating from her warm brown eyes.

"It's no problem Peyton. I'm just glad that I could help."

"You're the most awesome tutor that I've ever had. I really owe you one," Peyton Sawyer said, bending her head of blonde curls to check that her backpack was zippered, and missing the flash of victory on her new tutor's face.

"Oh, no, it was my pleasure," Haley simpered. "Anything to help a friend."

"Friend?" Peyton instantly perked up. "You really consider me your friend?"

"Of course, silly!" the blonde said, waving her hand as if waving away the doubts.

"Oooh Hales! This is so awesome!" Peyton said, beginning to squeal again. Haley smiled, giving her friend a little hug. A beeper went off somewhere in the room.

"Oh shoot! That's my mom. I've gotta go. But I'll call you later, okay Haley?"

"Perfect," Haley said, waving goodbye. As the parlor door swung closed, her broad smile slowly slid off her face, leaving a sour expression on her pretty face.

"Fucking moron."

"Somebody had a good day," a deep, mocking voice called through from the other side. Doing nothing to hide her expression, Haley spun around to come face to face with her stepbrother of two years.

"Eat me, Lucas," she spat.

"Maybe later," he pretended to consider it, grinning at her and walking across the room.

When her mother announced her intentions to remarry, fifteen year old Haley had been less than pleased. It had been three years since her father's death, and as far as Haley was concerned, her mother could burn down in hell with him. That all changed when she first laid eyes on Lucas Scott. From the very first smirk, she could tell that within him, she had found more than just another rich pretty boy. She had found an equal. With their manipulations, lies, and overactive sex drives, they were two of a kind. That day, she decided that she would have a confidant. A one person that she didn't wear her Golden Girl face for. The person would be Lucas Scott. He took this as a gesture of closeness and loyalty. Haley didn't think so, but determined that Lucas was a smart boy. He would realize that if he opened his mouth, she would destroy him. And so their unholy alliance began. Two years later, it was still going strong.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Haley locked her light eyes, now lacking the warmth that had been there during Peyton's visit, onto her stepbrother. He currently had his head stuck in the piano, inspecting the strings. She had always wondered why he was so fascinated by their own house. Lucas could never sit still for long, but today Haley noticed that he paced with a slight frown on his face.

"What's wrong with you today?" she asked, managing to sound unconcerned. Truthfully, Haley adored Lucas. He was handsome, intelligent, interesting, and somehow managed to keep himself out of trouble, even with all the shit he's done. It was more than enough to earn even Haley's respect.

"Urgh… I don't know. Don't you ever get bored with all of this!" he exclaimed, gesturing wildly around the expensive sitting room. Haley raised her eyebrows slightly at her stepbrother's outburst. She should've known better than to think it was an actual problem.

"Actually, no," she responded with a pointed look. Lucas said nothing, just shrugged and returned to his aimless pacing.

"You never think that maybe there's more to life than ruining other people's?" he looked up and asked her. In that moment, he looked shockingly helpless and rather lost, leaving Haley very curious as to what triggered his sudden mood. She was used to this. Lucas had always been flaky, but there was always something she found amusing in his pain.

"Lucas Eugene Scott, you and I both know damn well that you wouldn't be happy doing anything but deflowering pathetic virgins," she fired back. Off his grin, realization dawned upon her. She walked right into that one. "You got Candace Baker, didn't you?"

Triumph shone on his handsome face. "Of course I did. Pay up, Hales."

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Sunlight was falling delicately across the hardwood floors, its reflection making the crystal sparkle and the blonde hair of the duo shine. They were an interesting pair; they really were, standing there in their golden blonde perfection wearing matching smirks. Some might say they were just bored. Bad parenting, perhaps? Those poor, poor misguided souls. Some might know the truth, and say that it was a combination of any excuse you could toss in. Attractive and wealthy, the world was at their feet. When five-year-old Lucas Scott had performed a sort of accidental amputation on his maid, nothing was said. When eleven-year-old Lucas had been caught smoking pot in the bathroom at his exclusive private school, the principal had merely sighed and said "Just don't do it again, son." That's when he began to realize that rules were made to be followed—just not by people like him. Seven-year-old Haley James's epiphany took place on the day of her birthday party, when she walked in on her nanny in a _very_ compromising position with her father. That day, he promised her anything she could ever want, in exchange for her silence.

Haley had had a sick fascination with the darkness and the shadows. The silence and the secrets that lurked in every corner of the museum-like mansion she called home sucked her in deeper and deeper until the only light about her was her luminous hair. The perfect life that had been handed to her on a silver platter had done nothing but shrivel her soul and blacken her heart.

And Haley James was just fine with that.

As she aged, the blonde had become more and more adept at finding the hidden truths among the pretentious bullshit of the upper-class. Like an animal, she could target fear, preyed upon the weak, and destroy anything in her path. By age seventeen, Haley had a virtual mental rolodex of anyone she'd ever need to know, and anything they'd die to keep people from finding out.

While Lucas worked with reckless abandon, Haley operated in secrets and lies. She would disillusion a person into believing she was their best friend before screwing them over as best she could. Peyton Sawyer was her new target.

--------------

"Luke, I think it's time for you to get a new challenge," she said decisively, leaning against the glossy maple doorframe. A tilt of the blonde head in front of her lead to the locking of blue eyes on brown. An amused look played across Lucas's face as he looked up at her from where he had been writing in his journal.

"You're absolutely right, Haley. After all, I've been sitting around the house for a whole two hours. There's definitely something wrong with that," he deadpanned, and Haley wasn't quite sure whether he was joking or not.

"You know Peyton Sawyer?" she asked, cutting to the chase. Haley really wasn't in the mood for any mind games or quick banter. She wasn't feeling well, and the only tried-and-true cure for her aches was to make someone else hurt worse.

"Blonde, curly hair, nice legs? Yeah, I've seen her," Lucas said nonchalantly, leaning back in his chair, loosening his tie and undoing the top buttons of his shirt. Slowly, his stepsister made her way around the desk, perching herself on his knee and leaning forward slightly.

"Well," she whispered, leaning closer and closer until her pouty lips were mere centimeters from his. "I'm going to need you to see _more_ of her, if you get what I mean."

"And why is that, Hales?" he asked with mock curiosity, leaning his head to rest on the back of the chair. She slid a hand behind it, propping him up, leaving little space between their faces.

"You know _why_ Lucas."

"Do you really need _another_ minion?"

"Lucas, you've said it yourself. People are sheep. Well, I am their shepherdess, and this little black sheep has gone astray," she said using a little girl voice, alternating speech with tiny kisses to his neck. A stirring beneath her told her that she was producing the desired effect.

"Well Little Bo Peep, that is probably the perverse analogy for what we do that I've ever heard," Lucas said with a soft chuckle.

"Do you prefer 'you fuck them and I'll blackmail them'?" she smiled.

"Maybe."

"Well, then fuck you. You make the analogy when you give the speech."

The stepsiblings shared a laugh and smile, and it would be a very touching scene if it weren't for the actual touching. A few intimate moments later, he was putty in her hands. Lucas liked to put up a fight, but when it came down to it, they both knew that they were now a team, and whether he liked it or not, he would be following through on whatever diabolical plots his wicked stepsister came up with.

_By the pricking of my thumbs_

_Something wicked this way comes_

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_Humm… what do you guys think? Please review and let me know. Thanks for reading! _

_xo Sam_

_P.S. Everyone should check out Davis's (aka BrookenLucas12) new story "**Intentions Gone Cruel**". It's **awesome**, and inspired by the same challenge that sparked this story. _


	2. Virgins In The Midst

_Hi guys. I didn't get many reviews last chapter, so I was just wondering what you were all thinking about this. It's a new story, so I'm really hesitant about it…_

**Beyond Good and Evil**

_Chapter Two: Virgins in the Midst_

High school has a hierarchy. A pecking order, a chain of command, a social ladder, cliques. Call it what you want, but within the massive stone walls of Oakwood Preparatory School, there was a class system, and it was in every student's best interest to learn it. Oakwood Prep's social scene was similar to a deck of cards. Perched high on their thrones, the James-Scott siblings were the King and Queen of Spades. This had multiple meanings to anyone who cared think about it long enough. A spade itself looked a bit like a heart on a string. The ironic meaning wasn't lost on Lucas Scott, the boy that all the girls secretly longed to tie down. A spade is a shovel. As any person who has ever crossed Haley James knows, the Queen of Spades wouldn't hesitate to bury you alive.

Slightly below them were the King and Queen of Clubs. Tommy McClellan, a tall, dark and handsome senior of black Irish descent with a short temper and a ton of cash to his name. His leading lady was Theresa Miller. Theresa was a beautiful Hispanic girl with thick, glossy black hair, gleaming brown eyes, and a reputation nearly as squeaky clean as Haley's. As a member of Student Council, National Honors Society, French Club, Drama Club, and the Chorus, with her straight-A's and pretty face, the only thing that stopped Theresa from being Oakwood Prep's prized student was a petite blonde named Haley James. 'Friends' since grammar school, Theresa and Haley began their descent into darkness together. The Hispanic girl had always been ambitious, but there are certain things you just don't want to get out… like how you _really _aced most of your classes. Unfortunately for Theresa, these are exactly the sort of things Haley knows, preventing the girl from making any power plays. The Spades and the Clubs have an alliance of sorts, the shadowy side of the social scene.

Their polar opposites and constant enemies would be the Red Suits. Caleb Post and Riley Carpenter were the resident King and Queen of Diamonds. They were that couple that was "_soooooo_ perfect", soul mates, destined to be married. Insert gag-worthy clichés here. They had been dating since fifth grade, when they first discovered that the opposite sex did _not_, contrary to popular belief, have cooties. Ever since then, they had been inseparable. Rumors were that they were _already _engaged, and Riley had been sporting a rather large and attention grabbing diamond for some time now.

"Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting," Haley whispered, venom lacing her melodic voice. The words floated through the air, reaching Lucas's ears, and his only. Just like she planned. Long ago, Haley James first discovered that you could do anything you want as long as you had an immaculate image. That was the image that she kept up at school, that illusion of perfection, the Barbie doll the teachers all so willingly saw. However, she couldn't control her impulses all the time.

Lucas's eyes snapped away from the girl he had been flirting with to where Haley's were gazing intently. Immediately a scowl distorted his handsome face. "Repulsive. Why are they allowed to do things like that in public?"

Haley didn't answer, but both sat silent for a few moments, just watching. Riley and Caleb were sitting at their usual table, surrounded by their mindless drones. Er, friends. As always, they were completely immersed in each other and forgetting the existence of everyone else in the room. They were currently feeding each other tator tots and gazing deeply into each other's eyes. It was almost too much to bear for the stepsiblings.

"We should do something about it," she finally said, her tone decisive. The light glinted off her blonde hair, and her honey brown eyes shown the way they did whenever she had a "brilliant" idea. Lucas took that moment to appreciate how truly beautiful his Haley was.

"Oh should we now? Are you really that bothered by PDAs?" Lucas teased.

"Only when there's actual A involved," Haley countered with a sickly sweet smile. Lucas matched her smirk and opened his mouth to retort when a commotion over in the corner caught his eye. Turning his ice blue gaze to where the action was, a self-satisfied grin light up his face. Seeing his abrupt change in mood, Haley swung about to see what he was looking at. Soon, they were wearing matching gleeful looks, like children unwrapping Christmas presents.

Blonde, bronzed and athletic, Logan Reynolds had been the King of Hearts for a long time now. His best friend, strictly platonic _of course_ had been his Queen. However, in light of recent incidents, she would not only be losing her crown, but leaving Oakwood Prep. A scandal followed her the entire way, a black cloud looming overhead looking suspiciously like a spade, having footage of her 'first time' mysteriously played in place of a video about the wonderful clubs the school offered to its students. Particularly the Abstinence Club, of which she was president. Candace Baker was officially destroyed, much to the public shock and secret delight of Haley James. _The stupid little bitch never should've stepped on my toes,_ the blonde thought with a sadistic smile. _But Lukie sure knows how to come through. _

The entire school was abuzz. What would happen now? A new Queen would have to step up, surely. The obvious runner-up would've been Julia Hamilton, a Princess in her own right. However, the beautiful redhead had recently forfeited her right to the throne because of a little tryst with a certain Scott in the boiler room that a beautiful blonde happened to walk in on. Haley usually didn't concern herself in the coronation process, but knew that Julia could be dangerous. She had to be taken care of.

The Hearts were all at a total loss as to what to do. This had certainly never happened before was the dismayed thought circulating the Red side of the cafeteria, while the Black Suits looked on with barely suppressed glee.

"Your work?" Theresa mouthed at her best friend from a table over.

"Of course," Haley mouthed confidently, gesturing slightly to Lucas.

Theresa grinned wickedly and gave her a thumbs up. Haley smiled, but it dropped as she turned her head. Must she be surrounded by such morons? Thumbs up? Wincing visibly, Haley tuned back into the conversation at her table, and that's when she learned a _very_ interesting tidbit. Oakwood Preparatory School would soon be receiving a new student.

------------------

Crossing her long legs and sighing, she let her glossy brown hair tumble down her shoulders, removing the clip that had been holding it in place. The hot interior of the limo made her a little uncomfortable, but she wasn't one to complain. She never was.

"Don't worry sweetie, we're almost there," Angela Davis called through the window to her only children. She had been sitting up front with the limo driver discussing where exactly they were going, leaving the backseat to Brooke alone. While most mothers would be a little hesitant to leave their teenager alone with masses of alcohol, Angela wasn't. She had complete faith in her daughter.

Brooke only wished she had as much faith in herself as her mother did. Biting her lip nervously, she shifted and her thoughts turned again to where she was about to go. As of this year, she would be a student at Oakwood Preparatory School. Her father had accepted a big job in North Carolina, and the whole family had to come along. Brooke certainly didn't want to leave all her friends behind, but she knew that this was something her father really wanted, and so she didn't make a fuss. Now she was starting to wish she had. As the scenery grew more and more beautiful, with lush green grass, sky-scraping trees and aqua lakes, she grew more and more anxious. Would they like her? Would she make friends? Would it be anything like home?

Resting herself against the headrest, she realized with a sad gleam in her bright green eyes that of course it wouldn't be anything like home. Ever since she had arrived in North Carolina, nothing had felt like Kansas, and she missed her home more than words could say. However, Brooke tried to look on the positive side. She already had one friend at Oakwood. A girl named Julia Hamilton. Their fathers had been playing golf together for years, whenever they had conferences in the same town, and they had played together at the country club as young girls. Julia grew to be a little bit strange as they got older, talking about being a princess or something like that. When Julia heard that Brooke would be joining her at Oakwood, she squealed and said, "Oh great! You're totally a Heart!"

That caused the pretty brunette to raise her eyebrows, but she didn't pursue the matter further. Brooke figured that she'd find out what Julia meant eventually. At _least Oakwood's a good school,_ she thought to herself. _I'm bound to learn something. _

Yes, she would. Because even as her limo drew closer to the massive property of Oakwood Preparatory School, a manipulative blonde was plotting just how to teach her a lesson.

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_Humm.. I'm not sure how that turned out. It might have totally sucked. Lol anyway, I'm sorry if it did. Thanks for reading!_

_xo Sam_


	3. Dirty Little Secret

_Hey guys! Thanks for your awesome reviews, they are much appreciated lol. So here's the next part, please read and review..._

**Beyond Good and Evil**

_Chapter Three: Dirty Little Secret_

The ballroom was massive and grandiose, decorated from floor to ceiling in white. The crystal chandelier caught the light in a way too delicate to be described, casting soft rainbows against the pristine tapestries. Her honey brown eyes sparkled as they surveyed the scene in front of her. In a matter of minutes it would be perfect. There would be a blushing bride, an eager groom, two large families excited to merge. It was a lovely day for a wedding.

_This could be fun_,' the gorgeous blonde thought, excusing herself from the table. Haley slipped quietly into the long corridor that ran behind the room. Dark, shadowy, and full of deep, rich colors, this was much more her scene. Her stiletto heels click-clacked on the imported Italian marble as she made her way down the hall. Stopping abruptly in front of a door, her perfectly manicured fist stopped inches away from the high polished maple door where light leaked from underneath. Did she really want to do this? _Of course_. Knocking quickly and firmly, she took a deep breath and pasted on a perfect smile.

"Wha—oh, hi Haley. What brings you here?" the door swung open to reveal a handsome male with curly, sandy hair and big brown eyes. Jake Jagelski was certainly attractive, and Haley took a moment to admire him. Back when he was still single, she may have even taken him for herself, but he was little too… _red_. That was really the only word Haley James knew to totally describe the man in front of her. He was too naïve, too trusting, too easily fooled. He bought into her act even though half the school suspected, deep down, that she wasn't quite so innocent. Jake took everyone at their word, and was devastated when they proved false. That might be why Haley James was getting such a perverse thrill out of this.

"You look good," she purred, ignoring the question and delighting in the pink that tinged his cheeks.

"Well, this is the happiest day of my life."

'_Or so you think_,' she thought with a kind of malicious delight that others would be shocked to know that a girl like her could possess. However, if Haley James had ever had a conscience, it was long gone by now. She lived for power, and the information located in a manila folder clutched in her left hand, concealed behind her thin back was cause for a major power trip.

"Yes, it's a beautiful wedding," she simpered. Jake smiled at her and turned back to the mirror, adjusting his tie. His forehead wrinkled in concentration. Jake had always thought Haley was an exceptionally beautiful girl, and he was more aware of her presence than he would like to be.

The blonde slunk in front of him, much closer than normal. Their hips ground together as she reached up and tugged on one end of the tie. Standing transfixed, the husband-to-be could do nothing but follow her movements with his eyes, growing uncomfortably aroused. A fact the scheming girl was all too aware of. Keeping her brown eyes locked on his, her hand crept lower and lower until resting on the bulge in his pants. Beginning to massage gently, Haley dangled her lips in front of his tauntingly. Her pink tongue darted out, flitting briefly across his lower lip. His head jerked forwardly slightly to claim her lips with his, but Haley moved her head back slightly, leaving a centimeter of space between their faces.

"But what a shame, the poor groom's bride is a whore," she whispered gleefully.

Jake Jagelski had been living out the dream of most men at Oakwood Preparatory School. Haley James, Student Body President, Homecoming Princess, Queen of Spades, Miss Perfect, with her hands all over him. But her words jerked him back into reality. Reeling away from her, his face was flushed, eyes wide, breathing heavily.

"What? Nikki isn't a whore! I'm the only guy she's ever been with!" he protested.

"Did she tell you that herself?" Haley asked in a mocking tone.

"Yes, she did," Jake stated adamantly.

"And you didn't think the lady doth protest too much?"

The silence greeting her was all the answer she needed.

"You don't have to marry her Jakey…you don't have to do this… we could have some fun together," she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his. This time he pushed her away.

"Nikki's **pregnant**," Jake said. Haley gave him a withering glance.

"Sure she is. But who says it's yours?"

Lightly tossing a manila folder at his feet, she blew him a kiss and the maple door swung shut behind her. Hesitantly picking up the folder, Jake was shocked at what he found. Letters, pictures, names, dates. It was all there, and he was just too blind to see it. The one thing he could see now was his own reflection—attire mussed, shoulders slumped in defeat, heartbreak written all over his face. Anger taking over now, he grabbed the nearest item and threw it as hard as he could at the mirror, shattering the image like his heart had just been.

So much for the happiest day of his life.

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She couldn't control her triumphant smirk if she wanted to. Not that she did, but you never know when it could be useful. She would stick around and see what kind of havoc would ensue, but she couldn't have anything traced back to her. That was her one regret. That was a major difference between Haley James and her wicked stepbrother. They both went in for the kill, but Lucas didn't like to stay and watch, while Haley took pleasure in watching the carnage fly. It might just be her favorite part.

"Now was that really necessary?" a familiar called from the shadows. Startled, Haley almost jumped out of his skin, losing her famous composure.

"Fuck! Lucas, what the hell are you doing?" she asked, placing a hand over her heaving heart.

"Just thought I'd go with the element of surprise. I believe you know the tactic well," he said with a smirk that she returned.

"I know that this is your favorite part, but we've got to get out of here," he whispered. Haley was never one to take orders from anyone, least of all Lucas, but she just nodded this time. She figured that she took the reins often enough, she'd let him get a few words in this once.

Approaching the street, they squinted their eyes against the harsh North Carolina sunlight. They could see people staring from across the street, with good reason. It wasn't very often that people of their stature came to this side of town. However, one can always make exceptions. Getting into the emerald green 1956 Jaguar Roadster, Lucas beamed with pride. This car was his baby. There were few things in the world he treasured as much.

Moments later, they were speeding along the highway with no destination at all. This wasn't really unusual for them. Lucas loved to drive, and Haley loved to plot, and they found that both of their needs were best suited for wide open spaces. Sometimes they would have in-depth talks, and sometimes they wouldn't speak at all. It was a sign of the remarkable closeness between the two amoral stepsiblings that they could tell each other anything or nothing at all and still be perfectly comfortable.

Haley shifted for the fifth time in two minutes, and Lucas knew that she was itching to boast about her latest accomplishment. He decided to make her wait a little longer.

Twenty minutes later, he decided to release her from her agony.

"So, are you going to tell me how it went?"

Her eyes gleamed in victory. "It was perfect. Even better than I expected."

Lucas said nothing, but cocked an eyebrow in response. Silence ensued. "Are you going to include details, or should I guess?"

"Well, do you want details on the foreplay or the foray?" she quipped, loving the tick in his jaw upon her words.

"You had sex with him?" he grounded out. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, knuckles turning white.

"Would that make you angry?" she asked, using her little girl voice.

"Rather," he stated matter-of-factly, resuming his usual cool air. This signaled to her that the game was over, and she dropped the tone.

"No, I didn't fuck him. Got him all hot and bothered before dropping the folder at his feet and informing him that his bride was a whore," she cackled. "You should've seen it Luke, it was brilliant."

"I don't doubt it. After all, it was your plan," he smiled, and she accepted the compliment.

"But now, can I ask what the point in all of that was?"

"Just for fun," Haley said innocently, but Lucas's penetrating stare bore into her eyes. "Fine. I hate that Nicole bitch. She told Coach Connors that I didn't _actually_ have my period, and then I had to take gym. Evil whore. She got what she deserved."

Something inside of Lucas said that perhaps this wasn't exactly an eye for an eye. But the bigger half, the one that he usually listened to, was just roaring with laughter. God, high school was petty.

Haley's laughter drained from her face, as she seemed to suddenly remember something. Sitting straight up in her seat and turning towards him faintly, he could see that her expression was stone-cold serious.

"They found a new Queen," she spat.

"Who did?"

"The Hearts!" she spat impatiently.

"Oh golly gee whiz, whatever will we do?" he deadpanned.

"Lucas, this is serious!"

"Haley, calm down. We knew they were bound to get one eventually. It's not a big deal."

"Wrong. It's a very big deal," she said slowly, causing him to turn his questioning gaze towards her.

"Who is it?"

"A new student. Her name is Brooke Davis. Straight A student, 4.0 GPA, super-popular at her old school," Haley rattled off.

"Wow, who does that sound like?" he sneered, adopting a pointed tone.

"Virgin," she uttered the final description with disgust.

"**_What_**! Another one?" he asked, and the woman beside him just nodded. "You'd think they'd learn their lesson with Candace Baker…"

"Apparently not. There's nothing we have on this girl. Not a spot in her history, any stains or soils. She's completely clean," Haley whined.

"I could fix that," Lucas proclaimed cockily with a suggestive smirk curling his pink lips.

"Ordinarily yes, because the women who occupy this area seem to mistake you as desirable. But no matter what Miss Davis thinks about you, it won't make a difference. She made a vow of chastity," Haley spelled out the situation.

"Yeah, so had every other virgin our school. Apparently, those don't apply to me."

"She made hers on national television during an episode of 20/20 dedicated to teen sex," Haley finished, slightly victoriously. It's not that she didn't want Brooke Davis ruined, she **really **did. It's just that she had pulled an all-nighter the previous night looking up anything and everything in the beautiful brunette's history, and there wasn't a single thing of interest to be found. She just didn't feel like giving Lucas the satisfaction of agreeing with him. He was self-satisfied enough as it was. She had known him a long time. It was safe to say that Haley James knew Lucas Scott inside and out, but it was surprising even to her when his eyes lit up at these words.

"She'll be my greatest victory," he murmured to himself with a far-away look in his eyes.

"You don't stand a chance," Haley smirked. Off his glance, she added. "What? This is out of even your league."

"Care to make a wager on that?"

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_So… what did you guys think? Okay, bad, totally sucked? Please let me know! Lol. Thanks for reading._

_Xo Sam_


	4. Mistakes and Regrets

Hey guys. I'm not sure how this turned out, but I've been really busy lately, but I'm trying to get back into the groove of writing (seeing as I've got about four stories worth of angry reviewers lol). This is kind of shorter, I think, but please review, and let me know what you think.

**Beyond Good and Evil**

_Chapter Four_

Mistakes and Regrets

Long, glossy blonde hair flowed around a set of smooth tan shoulders, tumbling down the slim, slightly bony back. Lucas Scott had never really had a preference in women's hair color, but was always partial to the particular shade of blonde that his stepsister wore so well.

"Lucas, are you listening to me?" Haley asked over her shoulder, honey eyes narrowed slightly.

"Not really," he admitted, his own crystal blue eyes tracing the contours of her body, licking his pouty pink lips slightly.

Haley cast him a knowing smirk before tossing a small, black satin robe over her half-dressed frame. "Better?"  
"Depending on your definition," he mumbled, striding leisurely across the room and plopping down onto the lounge chair in the middle of the room. With a cat-like prowl, Haley James followed him across the room, perching herself on the edge of the antique chair. Most of the James-Scott household seemed like you stepped into an 18th century French château, and Haley's bedroom was no different. A deep, rich, royal blue, with silver accent and a giant crystal chandelier, the room was large and cold, full of sharp lines and clean edges. Beautiful at first glance, but it would get to you if you were around it for long enough. So much like the girl herself.

"So, what do you think?" she asked him.

"About what?" Lucas asked absently, long fingers wandering idly up her exposed thighs.

"Brooke Davis," she whispered, her lips against his neck.

Some might be appalled to find the stepsiblings in such a compromising position. Some might be downright repulsed. However long hours spent alone cooped up in the house with nothing but each other and sexual tension to keep them company in a massive townhouse full of everything except parental supervision had aided in the development of their spicy domestic routine. A routine that showed no signs of changing any time soon.

"I think that she'll be easy enough to crack. Just like I told you in the car, Hales, they'll all break one way or another," Lucas said confidently. This was one of his traits that Haley found most endearing and most irritating. The supreme self-assurance that he maintained was a characteristic that she had recognized in him from the moment she laid eyes upon the handsome blonde, recognizing the trait that existed in her own being. They really were equals in every sense, and just the thought made Haley sort of awestruck. To think that there was one person out there who was really like her wasn't petrifying so much as comforting. Cuddling her head into his muscular chest, a familiar observation of hers swirled in the dim midst of her many thoughts. They fit together perfectly, as if they had always been meant to lay together like that, entwined. An outsider who didn't know exactly how related the gorgeous blonde pair were would think that from the adoring look in his bright eyes and the expression of happy serenity on her pretty face that they were really in love. They would be wrong, naturally. Haley and Lucas couldn't be in love, for one simple reason. Love isn't real.

At least, not in their world.

----------------

"So wait… I'm sorry, but I still don't understand what I have to do. What's the point of this whole thing?" she asked with an adorably puzzled frown upon her face. Brooke Davis was like one of those china dolls that little girls love when they are just that—_little_. And so the people gathered around her in the Bakers' cocktail lounge were staring at the new girl with a mixture of adoration and envy. Perhaps no one had ever informed them that that was **not** the way to bring in a leader. Then again, it probably wouldn't have mattered at all.

At Oakwood Preparatory School, it was all about social status. The school was a way to prepare them for life in North Carolina high society, and the Four Suits of Oakwood were a highly influential, though unspoken, indicator of what your life would be like, post-high school. Being a member of the most powerful suit was a _very_ good thing. However, it wasn't a thing that could be redefined or switched. The Spades held all the power now, and Haley James with Lucas Scott seemed to be an unshakeable mix. This was one thing that the Hearts just _couldn't_ accept. They had all had their suspicions that Haley wasn't exactly what she seemed, and knew that Lucas was exactly what he seemed--- and no one was quite sure which was a scarier proposition.

Brooke Davis seemed like a golden opportunity for them to take back some of the authority in the school. Beautiful, intelligent, caring, funny. She was everything the group had wanted in a member, and was the perfect clean slate to place at the top of their monarchy. So what if she had no clue what she was doing? Logan could pull the puppet strings. All she had to do was look pretty, and stay pure.

"It's kind of like being class president, then," she said slowly after a long winded explanation by other important members of the group.

"Kind of," Julia simpered. If it were anyone else, she would have tacked on an "only incredibly popular and much more dominant". And if it were anyone else, that would've been all the incentive they needed. But it was obvious from the start that Brooke Davis was not like the rest of them. She wouldn't be swayed by greed, popularity or lust. She was better.

Julia was a girl with double sides. Scornful people would call her two-faced, but she preferred multilayered. It was a very close call when they let her into the Hearts, because she possessed so many qualities of a Spade. Namely, a deep admiration of Haley James. It's not that Julia wished that she was a skanky, manipulative bitch. It was more that she wished she had the courage to be one. She was always pushing a little further, a little bit more, which is what made her a very dangerous opponent. Her considerable skills, motivation, combined with the desire to put the Hearts back on top made her a very lethal weapon for that side. One that Haley James had had to squash immediately. Fortunately, for all of Julia Hamilton's talents, resisting the charms of Lucas Scott was not one of them.

Winning over girls like Brooke Davis was, though. And with a few kind words and insincere promises, the beautiful brunette teen was the Queen of Hearts. Brooke had sealed her own fate.

--------------------

Tall, dark, and handsome. That's what Nathan Lee was, along with sweet, sensitive, athletic, caring, intelligent, and funny. And the ex-boyfriend of Haley James.

Haley wouldn't say she loved him, of course. But as she watched him running down the basketball court, muscles rippling slightly, it was safe to say that she kind of missed him. Judging by the smiles he was exchanging with Peyton Sawyer, it was safe to say that he didn't feel the same way.

Haley and Nathan had been the perfect couple. They were adorable, everybody thought so. He was probably the first boyfriend Haley had that she had actually cared about, and so she decided that it was time to show him the real her.

It was a move that Haley would live to regret. Nathan broke up with her the next day, saying that she "wasn't the girl he fell in love with". Moving on to purer pastures, rumors flew around the school that Nathan's next girlfriend would be a curly haired, naïve, blonde cheerleader. None other than Haley's new _best_ friend. Coincidence? Not on Haley's part.

But at times like this, sometimes Haley wondered what it would be like to be a normal girl. Someone who wasn't the Queen, who wasn't a manipulative mastermind, who wasn't a plain ol' bitch. Someone who could love Nathan, the way that he deserved to be loved. Someone like Peyton. Her honey brown eyes widened at this realization. Nathan and Peyton, they deserved each other. They were both honest and genuine, loving and caring, truly emotional. The smallest part of her heart (which Lucas liked to joke was two sizes too small) tugged at her, thinking '_Maybe you should just let them be happy_'. The larger part, which was the part she usually listened to, contained her pride, which Nathan had subsequently stepped on with his brutal dumping, was screaming for revenge. He would learn, just like everybody else, that you don't fuck with Haley James.

-----------------------

_So here's a little back story on why Haley really wants to destroy Peyton, and this is also my way of introducing Nathan into the story lol. Please please please review. You'll be my bestest friend. Lol. Thanks for reading_

_Xo Sam_


	5. Clash of the Titans

_Hey guys. For anybody wondering where the heck I've been, no, I didn't die or have a writer's block (humm… I wonder which is worse? Haha) I've been lurking over in the Cruel Intentions section. Sorry for neglecting, I'll try to make it up to y'all lol._

**Beyond Good and Evil**

_Chapter Five: Clash of the Titans_

"What are you looking at, Hales?"

Haley James loved her name. Even more than she loved her name, she detested nicknames. As a young child, she had gone through everything from 'Hales' to 'Haley-Bub' to 'Jimmy' to 'Tutor Girl', and as the darkness in her grew, she had come to resent every last one of them, and the people who uttered them. Unfortunately for her, Hales had stuck to a degree, but the margin was growing smaller every day. At this point, there were three people in the entire world who would dare call Haley 'Hales'. Two of them were gorgeous young men, well over six feet tall. The other was a Latin beauty, sitting in front of her.

"None of your business, Theresa," she said through gritted teeth, her perfect smile still in place. Refocusing her honey brown eyes that were anything but warm upon her target, she felt a strange emotion bubbling up inside of her, and took a moment to debate whether it was a strange emotion, or strange that she had an emotion.

"You're looking at Nathan again, aren't you? Could you be a bit more pathetic, Hales?" Theresa cackled, a bit too gleefully. Haley's icy gaze snapped onto the girl considered her social equivalent, a dangerous air surrounding the petite girl.

"_Pathetic_? Interesting choice of words, Theresa. You know what I thought was kind of _pathetic_? What about that time where you wouldn't come out of your room for two weeks because Lucas blew you off for a date? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems a wee bit on the _pathetic_ side to pine over a boy who wouldn't have spared you a second glance if you weren't naked after the first," she spat. Haley James had the unique ability to insert venom into anything, and now that she was smiling like the good little girl she was supposed to be, and her eyes were bright and cheerful, something about her was distinctly treacherous.

The courtyard was crowded, as always. The hierarchy of the school sat in distinct sections, the four corners. While the Spade's corner was cast into shadows, Haley found that this suited them perfectly. In the corner opposite the entrance, Haley James could keep track of the comings and goings of anybody that happened to walk by. Currently, she was scanning the crowds for her infamous stepbrother. It wasn't much that excited her, but she had to admit that she was dying to know if he had run into Brooke Davis yet. Casting a disgruntled gaze at the sunny corner occupied by the Hearts, she had to forcibly keep herself from gagging.

Besides, she should probably save that for _after_ lunch.

Continuing her manhunt, Haley was suddenly started when her eyes locked with a pair of light blue ones. They weren't the ones she was looking for, but they were equally beautiful, and at one point, she had felt something for their owner too. Blinking, she tried to break Nathan's stare, but he was relentless. For that moment, Haley felt like it was last summer again, where he was looking at her as if he could see right into her soul and find something other than Machiavellian intent. A tug on the sleeve of his letterman jacket broke his concentration, and their connection was lost, and Haley felt a bizarre twinge of regret along with it. She was decided now—it was a strange feeling, not the strangeness of feeling, the way she felt about Nathan Lee.

------------------

Glossy brown hair, tiny waist, deep green eyes. Oh yes, Lucas Scott had found his target. Approaching her in the hall was no easy matter. For it being Brooke Davis's first day, she was certainly popular. Followers aside, Lucas had had her within reach a few periods ago, but had to take a detour into the second floor janitor's closet to have some _pressing_ needs taken care of with a few members of the varsity cheerleading squad. However, now he had her right where he wanted her, and had no intention of missing this opportunity. In his current predicament, time was of the essence.

_Haley James_. Nobody could get Lucas Scott riled up like his stepsister did. Before their parents were married, they had a love-hate relationship the likes of which Tree Hill had never seen. Both were clever and attractive, but while it would've been typical of them to date, they remained best friends (_with benefits…_). After hitting puberty, they had discovered their supreme attraction to each other, and everyone else's to them. Rather than being bashful about this, they were quite brass. During freshman year, Lucas Scott had already slept his way through both his class and the sophomores, and was half-way through the juniors. Haley had preferred to perfect her craft more subtly, dealing in the fine arts of manipulation, destruction, public humiliation and secret sexuality. Neither had any problem with pushing the envelope, but one clause remained in their relationship throughout— no sex. However, recent events seemed to open up one hell of a loophole.

The terms were simple. The bet was anything but. If Lucas could bring down Brooke Davis, newly crowned Queen of Hearts, he could fuck Haley. If he couldn't, he would have to hand over his most prized possession- his car. While others would be hesitant about accepting such a deal, Lucas didn't think twice. This was a golden opportunity. Most people think twice before making a deal with the devil, but Lucas and Haley were two of a kind. He was just as evil, if not more so.

So now he found his target alone in the bland colored hallway, bent over at her locker, alone at last. This was the elusive Brooke Davis; he sized her up before announcing his presence. This was the creature he plotted to have in his bed as soon as possible. She was beautiful, but nothing he hadn't seen (or done) before. His train of thought was broken by the sound of heavy text books crashing to the ground, and saw his opportunity.

"Brooke, right?" he asked coolly, picking up a text book. The brunette looked up at him, obviously flustered. Locking her bright green eyes onto his ice blue ones, he smirked as she blushed. _This would be too easy_.

"Yeah, hi. Thanks, I'm such a klutz. I'm Brooke Davis. Wait, you already knew that. I'm new here, but you probably figured that too. Sorry, I babble when I'm nervous, and I—"

"Shh," he whispered, placing a finger over her lips. "No reason to be nervous around me," he soothed, but the cocky grin on his handsome face suggested otherwise.

Lucas was surprised when her startlingly green eyes narrowed suspiciously at him. "You're Lucas Scott, aren't you?"

"Yeah…" he shifted.

"Of course you are. Cocky, unbelievably good looking, charming…" she began to rattle off, appearing to forget that he was in the hall, and looking very amused by her rant.

"You're very good looking too," he chimed in. This brought Brooke's attention back onto the boy in front of her.

"You're a Spade, correct? King, if I'm not mistaken?"

"You aren't mistaken."

"Well, I'm the Queen of Hearts, and I believe we have no further business," Brooke said diplomatically, with a defiant lift to her chin. She spun on her heel and began to walk away, but he soon fell into step with her.

"Have you got any idea how conceited that sounded?" he asked, eyes sparkling with laughter. "_I'm the Queen of Hearts_."

"Well, I am!" Brooke said defensively, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Well, I'm the so-called King of Spades. But you might wonder what that has to do with anything? That would be nothing. Personally, I don't understand why we've let ourselves be segregated according to a deck of cards."

"That's exactly what I thought when they first told me about it! It does seem kind of ridiculous. I mean, what do we actually _do_? No good for anybody. It's just a stupid popularity contest, and a way for people to feel better than others."

"I agree completely. Then why are you doing this?" his question caught her off guard.

"Oh… um… you know, I don't know. It's just kind of hard being the new girl. And I come with kind of a reputation; people think I'm really weird because of the whole chastity thing. But I just thought it would be a way to make friends, I guess…" a blush raged in her cheeks now, and she was eager to get the spotlight off herself. "What about you? Why do you do this if you think it's so stupid?"

"Haley," Lucas shrugged, brightening a bit at the thought of his wicked stepsister.

"Haley James!" Brooke stopped short.

"Yeah…do you know her?" he asked casually, suppressing his smirk. Of course she did.

"Well, of course! Everybody knows about Haley James. That essay she wrote about feminism and women's roles in society was absolutely brilliant. It's quite impressive, and it was reprinted in so many things. I heard that it was even in the New York Times," Brooke gushed. Lucas smiled at her. He too was impressed by Haley, but it wasn't because of her bullshit opinions on women's rights, as he knew that Haley didn't really give a damn what she was _allowed_ to do. Yet not just anybody could scam an entire nation. _That_ was the Haley that earned Lucas Scott's respect.

"Yes, Haley's a rather impressive girl," he drawled.

"How do you know her?" Brooke's intrigue was manifesting itself.

"Oh, we're very close- our bedrooms are roughly five feet away," Lucas said, waiting for the scandalized look to appear on Brooke's innocent face, and he wasn't disappointed. "We're stepsiblings."

"I've really been looking forward to meeting Haley. It was one of the factors in me coming to Oakwood at all, because my parents thought that she would be a good influence. But I heard that she was the Queen of Spades, so I'm worried that I'm not going to be able to talk to her. Does that matter?"

There was something endearingly naïve about Brooke Davis. It was more than just "the new kid" quality, but something that ran deeper inside of her. It would be a shame to see that ruined; Lucas surprised himself with the thought. Of course, he would do it anyway. That was how Lucas and Haley ran.

"Well, I'm talking to you now, and I'm a Spade. I actually like you a lot, Brooke," Lucas whispered, cupping her blushing cheek in his large hand, caressing it gently. Swirls seemed to form in her green eyes, as if the thoughts inside her pretty little head were visibly rearranging themselves. As if sudden clarity had struck, they widened and she glared at him hard.

"I've been well informed of your reputation, Lucas Scott," Brooke pulled away, hitching her leather bag higher on her shoulder but never breaking eye contact. "The most you can hope for is my friendship, and you're walking a thin line at that," she spat before storming away. However, Lucas couldn't help but notice her backward glance before she flung open the double door at the end of the hall, before her petite body vanished completely from his view. Instead of feeling discouraged, he smirked widely.

It was Lucas's turn to be intrigued.

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_Okay guys, I'm not sure how that turned out, because I may be working on too many things at once. But I love, love, love this story, so I hope it didn't suck too much. Anyway, sorry for the sort-of hiatus and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought._

_Xo Sam_


	6. Oh God

_Hey guys. Thanks for your reviews. I love you! Hahah_

**Beyond Good and Evil**

_Chapter Six: Oh God_

"Oh God. I can't believe this. How… what… oh God…" a female voice groaned from the other side of the large bed. Lucas Scott briefly snapped his eyes upward to last night's conquest, before rolling them in irritation, and returning his attention to the journal in his lap. The exquisite leather-bound book came and went everywhere with him. Since he had received it at the tender age of twelve, it had acted as his favorite scorecard. In it, he had kept a record of every woman he had ever been with, what it was like, what _she _was like. At least, all of them that he wasn't too wasted to remember.

This was Lucas's prized possession. While he shared everything with Haley, including most of the information contained within, he could never bring himself to let his wicked stepsister read his journal. Maybe it was because a journal is a book for writing down your feelings, and they spent most of their time pretending they didn't have any. Or perhaps it was because with what he had written about her, he was afraid of hurting hers. Or of her hurting him.

On a scale of one to ten, which was how he ranked most women, Peyton Sawyer was about a 6.5. Not bad for her first time. However, with all the whining and hyperventilating she was currently doing, and the fact that the sunlight glinting off her dyed-blonde curls was impossibly blinding and was doing absolutely nothing for his hangover, he was seriously considering demoting her.

"_How_? Oh, come on Peyton, I know that you're inexperienced, but surely I don't have to explain the birds and bees to you," Lucas sneered cruelly, setting aside his journal and lighting a cigarette nonchalantly. Peyton gaped incredulously from the other side of the bed. Though they were separated by only sheets, there were worlds between them.

Finally finding words, Peyton began to speak, to scream, to rant, to break down. How had this **_happened_**? She didn't even _like_ Lucas! But with those intense blue eyes, and those finely carved features, and that adorably spiky blonde hair, and those abs…

Okay, maybe it wasn't _that_ hard to see how this had happened.

The crisp, clear ringing of a cell phone cut through the air, slicing apart her words. Clearly startled at having the wind knocked out of her sails, Peyton turned, startled, to see Lucas casually pick up the phone.

"Lucas Scott," he said professionally, a smile curving his luscious lips.

Peyton couldn't quite make out what was being said, but could tell from the look in his eyes and the muffled sounds that it was a woman on the other end of the line. Far from being hurt, the attractive blonde just felt …**_pissed_**.

"Of course I did," Lucas boasted arrogantly into the phone.

Pausing for a few seconds to take in the response, he rolled his eyes, and said with no real malice, "Oh, blow me."

Raising an eyebrow, Peyton was more intrigued than she'd admit as to who he was talking to. What girl would let him talk to her this way!

"Peyton? Hey, Sawyer, you here?" Lucas called to her, waving his large hand in front of her face, snapping her back to attention.

"Yes?" she snarled, anger returning. She had just given her virginity to this asshole. The thought was setting in, as was the soreness, and the thought made her quite uneasy.

"Well, not for long. You need to leave. I've got plans," he said breezily. Standing up from the bed, sans attire, he stood shamelessly before her. Then again, there wasn't much for him to be embarrassed about. Unabashedly checking him out, Peyton asked a question she already knew the answer to.

"You're just throwing me out? Just like that?"

"Looks that way. I'm going to shower. I'd ask you if you want to join me, but I'm in a hurry. You know how it is," he called over his shoulder, disappearing into the large adjacent bathroom. The whole room was very masculine, full of warm colors and earth tones. Shining hardwood floors lined the base, while the walls alternated between cream and burgundy and forest green in different sections. The room screamed of a hunter, and in a way, that's exactly what Lucas was. He ruthlessly sought out his prey, luring them with a look, a word, a touch, a glance, trapping them exactly where he wanted, before going in for the kill. Peyton noted with a wry smile that she could now consider herself his carnage. She didn't bother calling after him. 'Inexperienced' as she was, she knew that there wasn't a girl in the world with a hope of taming Lucas Scott, and though she had just given him her most prized gift, she no longer had any particular desire to even try.

Gathering her clothes as quickly as possible, Peyton tried to figure out a way of escaping the Scott house without being detected. The thought that Haley James lived her too had suddenly occurred to her, and what on earth would her best friend say if she found out what she had just done with Haley's stepbrother!

Hesitating for a step on her way to tip-toeing out Lucas's bedroom door, curiosity got the best of her. Weighing it for only a moment, she crept back towards the bed. Chancing a glance back at the bathroom, she could see steam billowing out from beneath the door, and the soft humming of a lullaby sounded strangely sinister could be heard. It was now or never.

Gingerly picking up the phone, as if someone would pop out of nowhere, screaming that this was just a test and now she was in trouble for God knows what, Peyton took the silver cellular phone into her artistic hands. She knew that she definitely shouldn't be snooping through Lucas's things, but she was just _dying_ to know who had called him. With whom did Lucas Scott have so close a relationship that he would drop the trademark ice from his voice, share a laugh, speak to as if they were a person, not a pawn?

Trembling features clicked into the caller ID.

_Haley._

---------------------------------

The tutoring center was most students' favorite place to be. Full of books for the studious, confidentiality for the embarrassed, comfort for the desperate, and hidden locations for the horny. Haley James was a regular fixture there, shining as the example of the model Oakwood Prep student. When the administrators' backs were turned, that was when the real fun began.

But today Haley would have to hold off. Though the beautiful blonde detested denying herself anything, she would have to exercise her willpower for now. It was her first meeting as a prospective mentor for none other than Brooke Davis.

Haley had to hand it to her. Brooke was no ordinary trust fund princess. She was far more beautiful than many of their classmates, and clearly more intelligent. But Haley James was born to exploit the weakness in others, to find flaws where they barely existed, to widen the hairline fractures to a gaping wound. She struck swiftly and deeply and imperceptibly, getting far ahead of her victim before they even knew they'd been duped. This had been the case with Peyton Sawyer, her new "BFF", or "best friend forever", for those who have never been a thirteen year old girl. While Peyton had been enamored with her newer, more glamorous life, her friendship with Haley and the growing embers of a relationship with star basketball player Nathan Lee, she had missed the slight deceptions. Now, if everything went according to schedule, she would be lying abandoned in a king sized bed feeling empty side, and Haley would have extinguished 'Neyton' forever, as the couple was called by their peers. So endearing. Unless, of course, you had one or more of the five senses, in which case it made you want to be very, _very_ ill.

Yet there was something about Brooke Davis that managed to cloud even one of Haley's most triumphant days. She spoke exactly how a well brought up girl should, but there was something glimmering in her eyes that showed that she really meant it. She was courteous to people—she just _was_. She liked doing charity, and helping others, and being kind.

When Haley's games had gotten out of hand with male suitors, and it happened more than you would think, Lucas had always defended her fiercely. He was dismiss it with a casual, "The world needs someone like you to fuck it up," but Haley had always known there was more to it. There was always something more between her and Lucas.

He was wrong. It wasn't people like Haley that fucked up the world, it was people like Brooke. People are horrible, and corrupt, and constantly wage war against their own dark sides. They only win every once in a while. Yet they would be perfectly content to wallow in their own amorality if it weren't for the self-righteous breed which Brooke was. If there was no one to make people feel guilty about it, the world would go much more smoothly. There would be no need for people to put on a show, to fake sincerity, to pretend to be full of good intentions when they were really just like everyone else.

"And have you met Lucas yet?" Haley inquired, a sickly sweet tone doing well to disguise her contempt for the beautiful brunette opposite her.

The telltale blush. It spread across her porcelain skinned face, and gave Haley her first indication that she had found Brooke Davis's weakness. It betrayed her true feelings, because try and deny it as she might, Brooke _liked_ Lucas. She could preach herself hoarse about morality and goodness and heaven, but at the end of the day, she still wanted the bad boy. Haley was a little repulsed by the thought that inevitably, Lucas would take Brooke's virginity too. It would be like corrupting Pollyanna, fucking over Dorothy. She could hardly wait for the shit to hit the fan. Checking her Cartier diamond-studded watch, Haley knew it wouldn't be long now.

---------------------------------

_Well, not sure how that came out. It didn't do exactly what I intended it to, but please review and let me know what you thought._

_Thanks for reading guys!_

_Xo Sam_


	7. Sex As A Weapon

**Beyond Good and Evil**

_Chapter Seven: Sex as a Weapon_

Usually large hazel eyes widened in shock. Her jaw was as close as humanly possible to hitting the floor. Haley James almost wished she had a camera.

As if said camera had gone off, the pretty blonde's entire demeanor changed in the snap of a flash. Her finely structured face wore an exquisite expression, a mixture of shock and horror and embarrassment, but the message flashing clearly from her honey eyes was quite a contrary one.

_Fuck you, Peyton._

"Haley… _Haley_… you're my best friend, you… this can't be real," the blonde cheerleader mumbled, feeling the fight drain from her body as she slumped against the door. Modestly arranging the silk sheet around her body, she softly tip-toed her way across the large bedroom, she carefully avoided abandoned basketball shorts, a miniskirt, a jersey, and a lace bra. Haley wasn't quite sure where the rest of her clothing went, but she'd just have to find that later. Or not at all. It didn't make much difference to her. Her mission was almost completed, and the knowledge got her off.

"Peyton, sweetie, stand up," Haley cooed softly, reaching out a hand to her 'friend'. However, instead of grabbing her hand, the petite girl's talon-like grip seized her upper arm and jerked her upward. Peyton's startled gaze had yet to revert to normal, and Haley smoothed her hair in a comforting motion.

"Peyton honey, I never meant to hurt you," simpered Haley James. The entire room was tense for a moment. It seemed that at that time, no one dared to breathe. Haley's chuckles broke the silence. "Wow, I can't believe I just said that. Of course I meant to hurt you."

This time the silence was baffled and pained, but Haley's hollow laughter continued.

"How could you do that to me? He's my **_boyfriend_**!" the curly-haired blonde shrieked, regaining the use of her vocal chords at just the right moment.

"Right, because you didn't just finish fucking my stepbrother," Haley deadpanned, examining her immaculate nails. She relished the feeling that in that moment, something snapped. It was one thing for him to cheat on her, but quite another for _her_ to cheat on _him_. Oh, God forbid. Haley could almost feel the bile rising in her throat.

"Hold on. You fucked Lucas? You said you were a virgin!" the dark haired boy protested, rising angrily from the bed, clad in only a pair of white boxers. It was quite the delectable sight, but Haley could feel her loathing of him outweigh her lust, and was relieved that this moment had finally come.

"Well, she was a virgin when you _started_ dating, Nate," Haley cooed sympathetically, gliding over to where the handsome boy stood. Tracing the contours of his muscled chest with her perfectly manicured index finger, her delicate hand made its way up to his face. Caressing his cheek, she leaned in and kissed him lightly. Her lips lingering on his as she whispered these words: "_Before I tricked her into fucking Lucas_."

Shoving the petite girl away, regret flared up in his light blue eyes for only a second. In that instant, he did not see Haley James, the evil, cruel, seductive, manipulative goddess of Oakwood Prep. He saw Hales, his former high school sweetheart. A tutor, a campus tour guide. Then her honey gaze locked with his own, and the look in her eyes reminded him that that girl was far away. That girl wasn't real.

"Why?" he whispered.

"_This_ is what you prefer to me?" Haley hissed venomously, sizing Peyton Sawyer up with only a glance. "_This_? This knockoff cheerleader, this fake blonde? I don't think so, babe."

"That's not really up for you to decide, Haley," Nathan grounded out, jaw set in an angry line.

"That's where you're wrong, Mr. Lee," she said, dropping the sheet she had been dressing behind. Her hair was rumpled, as where the clothes she had worn the night before, but there was nothing hazy about Haley James. "_Everything's_ up to me. I'm the fucking god of your universe."

"Well, you did a damn good job of preventing this," Nathan spat irritably, glancing back and forth between the two blondes in front of him.

"_Prevent _this? Why, I set it up!" Haley smiled sweetly.

"Why would you do that?" Peyton and Nathan asked slowly, in unison.

"Because nobody fucks with me," Haley said slowly and coldly, absorbing the tension in the atmosphere and thriving off it. "I'll destroy you, both of you."

The door slammed closed behind the petite blonde. Haley James headed down the Lee Mansion hallway with a self-satisfied grin lighting up her pretty face, but her parting words hung around.

_I'll destroy you. _

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The James-Scott family townhouse maintained a kind of elegance that few could hope to possess. With its rich colors and even richer occupants, it seemed to resemble more a museum than a home, but that didn't particularly bother anyone inside. Visitors were usually swept away by its beauty, while those who lived there were usually too preoccupied with sweeping their dirty deeds under the rare Oriental rugs to care about decoration.

At the moment, a thin blonde sat upon the chaise lounge, a predatory smile upon her pretty face as she watched the grandfather clock tick away. If she was irritated that he was out so late, it wasn't evident, as she adjusted the straps on her lacy negligee. As the chime of the clock strung three times to evidence the hour, a handsome blonde boy stumbled through the door. Lucas Scott didn't have to bother with sneaking in. There was never a parent home.

"Oh, Lucas! How was your date?" Haley called in a sing-song voice, brushing her long blonde hair out of her eyes. The predatory gleam was still there, the air about her suggesting that she knew much more than she should.

"I had fun," his speech was slightly slurred, but his charming smile was ever the same.

"A little too much fun, it seems," Haley remarked dryly. "Tell me, did Brookie have as much fun?"

"Probably more than I did," Lucas grumbled, eyes darting pointedly to the slight bulge in his pants. Biting her lower lip, Haley attempted not to laugh. Lucas, try as he might, could never bring himself to muster interest in anything but sex when it came to most women. Each time he tried to make a turn around, his 180 had lasted only days. When he announced to her that he "really liked" Brooke, Haley wasn't concerned. Sure, Brooke Davis was her bet and her enemy, but she certainly wasn't going anywhere fast. If she wasn't on dates sweet enough to make even Mary Poppins gag, she was following Haley around, trying to leech off her _sage wisdom. _It'd be cute if it wasn't so pathetic.

Dropping down beside his stepsister on the couch, Lucas sighed and stretched out, groaning as the kinks in his long limbs relaxed. Ice blue met honey as their eyes locked, and just then he became aware of what she was wearing. In tune as always, her thoughts seemed to follow the same trail, judging by the smile creeping across her face.

"You did well, with Peyton," Haley whispered, shifting until she was on Lucas's lap. Wrapping his strong arms around her, his rough hands tickled her stomach gently.

"You sound surprised."

"She was a virgin. She wasn't supposed to be that easy," Haley laughed, and she could feel Lucas's silent laughter reverberate through his chest. Pressing her ear to his chest, she could faintly make out the sounds of his beating heart, and thought of all the other girls who'd had this opportunity. The difference was that while they could hear it, this heart beat for her alone. The thought was scary and exhilarating and exciting and flattering. It was immensely gratifying for Haley James to be so close to the one person who had always known her, the _real_ her, and would always accept her.

'_Go ahead Brooke Davis. Give it your best shot. This one's **mine**,' _the thoughts circled her brain, a haze of anger and sadness and vindication and fury softening as Lucas softly stroked her stomach. It was him, only him, always him, that could calm her down. She knew that when she woke up in the morning, all this would be waiting for her. But it could wait.

---

_Hey guys. I know this one's shorter than usual, and it's been a while since I updated, but this fic is moving really fast and I just want to space the chapters accordingly. Expect this to be updated more regularly as the challenge deadline is drawing closer and closer. I've sort of been neglecting everything and lurking in the Cruel Intentions section, so this is for JB. If you could follow me all the way over to "The Birds", then you **deserve** an update! _


	8. The Lambs and The Slaughter

**Beyond Good and Evil**

_Chapter Eight: The Lambs and The Slaughter_

The clouds were perfect. White and fluffy, they passed leisurely overhead, against the crisp blue backdrop. It was almost painfully wonderful, reawakening anyone who cared to look to the beauty of nature. The sprawling green grounds of Oakwood Preparatory School was peppered with teenagers, some beautiful and some awkward, some rich and some scholarship, but from far away the campus had a look of harmony among its many students. One couple in particular seemed peaceful. They were by far the best looking ones there.

Long, thin legs clothed in a plaid skirt, covered with navy blue knee socks, were a tangle with longer khaki clad ones. Two hands, so different but fitting together perfectly, were intertwined at her hip. Glossy brown hair fell against his well-defined shoulders, his nose nuzzling her neck. Yes, over the last few weeks, Brooke Davis and Lucas Scott had certainly become the couple to watch at Oakwood Prep. And watch people did, because admit it or not, the attention of everyone in the vicinity was on the gorgeous school royalty cuddling beneath the willow.

"Luke, look. I think I see a swan," Brooke gestured vaguely toward the sky.

"Me too," he responded, but his crystal eyes never wavered from Brooke, placing a kiss to her collarbone. A soft smile flitted across her face, the dimples in her cheek making their appearance. "You're so beautiful, you know that?"

"Well, you've only said it about fifty times since we sat down," the beautiful brunette cracked, her green eyes shining, but a telltale blush crept across her.

Two months had passed, much in this fashion. To the surprise of everyone at school, Lucas Scott had been completely faithful to a female. For two months, the handsome blonde had been with Brooke Davis, and _only_ Brooke Davis. It was the longest celibate streak of the infamous playboy's life. At first, some of Oakwood Prep's less moral students had taken it as a challenge. Lucas could barely walk without having a female throw themselves at him, all in an attempt to break his will. None had succeeded so far.

"I love you," she whispered quietly, and even she looked shocked at her words. They hung in the air awkwardly, dying to be received.

"Me too," Lucas smiled, and Brooke let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Snuggling back into his strong frame, she waited patiently for the flaming in her cheeks to die down. God, this was so embarrassing.

Brooke Davis was nobody's fool. She had always been the smartest, the prettiest, the kindest. She never had to settle for anything, because people had always gone out of their way to give her everything they could. In her few years, Brooke had entertained undying love from suitors, unending loyalty from friends, and untouchable adoration from adults.

She had always thought her friends were letting themselves get taken advantage of when they professed their love to a boy who returned with, "Me too." I mean, what did that really mean anyway? They love themselves too? She had always sworn she would never be one of those girls. She would know where she stood at all times. She would never let a boy give her less than 110.

Yet she couldn't stop her heart from soaring. She couldn't stop the way her breath caught in her throat. She wasn't even aware of the sparkle that entered her eye. Brooke Davis had always sworn she would never settle for "Me too," but that's exactly what she found herself doing. She loved him. It was a sudden realization, and a harsh one, but falling felt so much like flying that she couldn't even bring herself to be alarmed. Brooke Davis loved Lucas Scott, and if this was all that she'd get, then she'd have to accept.

----------

Not everyone loved nature. Not everyone loved love. These were facts of life, so simple that it seemed almost moronic to even mention it. Yet these two characteristics were wrapped up into a lethal ball, concealed inside a petite blonde. Her honey eyes shone malevolently, resentment oozing from every pore of her body. Her delicate hand pressed lightly against the glass pane. In a way, this glass described her entire life. This window separated her from nature. This wall separated her from love. Haley James didn't need either, but she didn't want anyone else to have it either. Especially not with Lucas.

"Hales, are you listening?" an impatient voice demanded from behind her. Wincing slightly at the nickname, the blonde pivoted slightly, keeping a hand pressed to the window as she whirled to face her Latina friend.

"No," she smiled sweetly, her voice dripping with venom. Theresa arched a dark eyebrow, too amused to be pissed.

"So you didn't hear about how Peyton lost her virginity to Lucas?" her words bore an implication of misdeeds, a silent accusation that Haley would never own up to. Not in public, anyway.

"Lucas Scott?" Haley cooed, her eyes widening in practiced innocence. "I thought she was dating Nathan Lee."

"She is. Err, was, anyway," Theresa frowned slightly, flustered for a moment, before a radiant smile light up her face. "But Jenna McIntosh heard them fighting in the parking lot this morning, and he said he had been fucking someone _much_ better than Peyton anyway."

Theresa's dark eyes glowed. "So I guess you're just out of luck, Hales."

"You think so?" her words were a double-edged sword, glinting in the sunlight pouring into the library.

"You didn't—"Theresa gasped, delighted. "You _did_!"

"I didn't say anything," Haley smiled primly, smoothing out the pleats of her uniform skirt, a triumphant glow about her.

"You implied!" her "friend" shrieked.

"You can't prove that," Haley sing-songed.

"You realize that Peyton is absolutely destroyed, don't you?"

"Of course. Lucas isn't exactly good for a girl's reputation," she snorted, and couldn't help it as her eyes wandered out the window, absent-mindedly searching the grounds.

"He doesn't seem to be doing much damage to Miss Davis."

Fury boiled within her tiny body, hot and fast and filling her quickly. Spinning towards her friend, she maintained her composure, but there was something burning in her eyes instead of the usual ice. "He'll fuck her, and then it'll be a whole different game."

"You think so?" Theresa was mimicking the tone that Haley herself had used frequently. It seemed to imply that one was all-knowing, that the entire universe was your playground, that you had something juicy over someone else. It was pissing her off.

"I _know_ so," Haley gritted her teeth and stared out the window, where her stepbrother was being gentler with Brooke Davis than he had been with a girl in his entire life.

"Have you ever heard of "How the Mighty Have Fallen"?" Theresa inquired curiously.

"What?" Haley muttered.

"You should really look into it," Theresa snickered, turning and swishing out of the library, her skirt flitting from side to side as she did. Haley would never understand why she waggled her hips so ridiculously, especially when she was only meeting with her. The maneuver was usually used to impress boys, but Haley didn't have a penis and she most certainly wasn't impressed.

Her manicured fingers pressed tightly to the glass pane separating her from the outside, Haley James registered vaguely that under any other circumstances, Lucas would be standing here beside her. But now, he was on the other side of the glass, and she could almost feel the plates beneath her shifting.

----------

_Do you trust me?_

He had asked her that over dinner, and she had responded "Of course." She did. She really did. Brooke trusted Lucas. She loved him. Wasn't that the same thing? Following him blindfolded down a thickly carpeted hallway, Brooke wasn't quite sure. She could almost make out the sounds of a turning doorknob, then a soft crunching noise. A soft tug on her hand pulled her into the room before the door closed behind. Removing the blindfold, she gasped inadvertently. Hundreds of candles gave off a soft glow. The room smelt faintly of vanilla and the rose petals lining the floor. The satin sheets glimmered in the soft lighting.

"I'm impressed," she remarked, amusement lacing her voice and disguising her awe.

"Well, I'm in love," Lucas turned her towards him. That was it, right then. She could feel her knees trying to give way, her entire being melt into a puddle of goop. She kissed him willingly, eagerly, even desperately. Holding onto her virginity this long had been about waiting for true love, and she had never been more in love than she was with Lucas Scott.

He steered her subtly towards the bed. This was going fast, much too fast, she knew as their shirts hit the floor. But for the first time she could ever remember, Brooke Davis thought to herself: _Fuck it_. All her life she had been responsible and moralistic and so damn good. For once in her life, she wanted to let go. She was sick of being held up for her choice, of being harassed and separated and viewed as a Holy Grail. She was a teenager and she was in love, and that was enough for her.

As he positioned himself over her and she braced herself for the undoing of the biggest decision of her life, Brooke Davis registered truly just how beautiful her boyfriend was. His skin seemed to glow in the candlelight, his ice blue eyes shimmered. He was radiant, and she felt sort of honored. Yet as he smiled and whispered reassuring words into her ear, she couldn't help but wonder if the smile was one of love or triumph.

Or if she even wanted to know.

----------

_Hey guys, sorry it took so long. Yesterday was my birthday, and my friends have insisted upon celebrating for a few days in advance lol. But this will definitely be updated pretty much every day until it's done because the deadline is **December 1**. I'm having a little too much fun with these characters though, so there might just be a sequel in store if the respond is good…_

_Thanks for reading guys!_

_Xo Sam _


	9. The Tango Haley

**Beyond Good and Evil**

_Chapter Nine: The Tango Haley_

Midnight was her favorite color. Even when she had been innocent, her soul pure, her mind clean, Haley James had had an inclination towards the color. It could be black or the deepest blue. No one was ever quite sure, so no one could say definitively whether you were right or wrong. Haley liked to think it was both, the shade taking on shades of its own. Her personal favorite was the deepest blue tinge possible, the color of the night sky, the color of Lucas's eyes when he was angry. But right now, it was the sky peering through the bay windows that retained her affection, as the blonde boy's eyes sparkled and danced, lighter than she had ever seen them.

Lucas Scott leaned casually against his dark wood desk, the moonlight glinting off his blonde locks as he listened intently to the phone glued to his ear. The dulcet tones of Brooke Davis thudded through the lines. Haley couldn't make out exactly what she was saying, but the mere fact that she was speaking and Lucas cared was a little more than she could handle. Fortunately, the twinges of disappointment were beginning to darken his light blue orbs, and she could almost feel the conversation winding down. She remained poised at the door, eager to hear the last vestiges of their conversation.

"I love you too," he said into the phone, a teeny smile curling the edges of his pink lips. As the words left him, Lucas was in awe himself. They weren't empty. They weren't hollow. Lucas Scott couldn't feel himself filling with mean-spirited chuckles; he couldn't sense the smirk creeping across his handsome face. Instead, he felt relief that she had said it first.

As the words left his lips, those lips that had claimed her own on so many occasions, Haley James knew that a boundary had been crossed. The lines between her and Lucas had always been drawn in sand, while their wills were cast in iron. She could feel the tide swaying, the line disappearing, and she felt alone for the first time in three years. In her mind, she was a little girl again, long blonde curls whipping in the wind as the ocean breeze swept away all that she had loved.

"_I love you too_?" she spat, almost cringing as the words seemed to tear a pierce of her with them on their way out. Alarmed, his eyes darted up to meet hers, and what she found it them hurt. Guilt. Waiting a moment for the receiver to hit the base of the telephone, she continued as he squirmed under her intense scrutiny. How had he not noticed she was standing in the doorway the whole time? Lucas had always been able to just _feel_ Haley, to sense her presence at all times. "Jesus Christ. You're completely pussy whipped."

"I am not," Lucas crossed his arms defensively over his broad chest. In this moment, he forcibly reminded her of a child, defiant but fearful as he tried to stand up to her. If she could only make him angry, she could handle it. His eyes would darken to that color that she loved so dearly, the intensity of the moment would up. Haley James couldn't handle vulnerability. She thrived off confrontation, she adored pain. Maybe that was why she so loved it--- no one could cause it, not for her. No one except Lucas.

Tears rushed to her eyes, blurring the honey irises as she blinked rapidly. That fucker was making her cry! Haley James hadn't cried since her father left, since he left her all alone with that psychotic bitch of a mother. At least, not real tears. She had managed many a crocodile on occasions when it would work to her benefit, but Haley had long discovered that crying did you no good if there was no one to take advantage of. But the wetness moistening her eyes was salty and it _burned_.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?" Lucas leaned towards her slightly, peering intently at his stepsister. The beautiful blonde had always seemed so invincible. Haley James was so untouchable that it used to seem like a game, just to prod her into feeling something towards him.

"I'm sorry. It's just upsetting," she whispered, her voice hoarse as the back of her hand swiped at her teary eyes. Her black eyeliner smeared, the smokiness of her eyes making it all the more clear. "You're _in love _with _her_. You don't love me anymore."

It was the first time it had been said aloud. He had always assumed that was what he felt for her, and that was what she felt for him in return. Yet something about it being said aloud, especially at this time, was a shock. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, but he could feel something warm pooling within him.

"Oh, come on, Haley!" he sighed exasperated, his fingers running through his slightly overgrown blonde hair. "It was just a bet."

"At first it was," she nodded in agreement, her eyes widening as she tried to make her point. "But now it's grown to something bigger."

"Hales, you know I love you. I've always loved you," he sighed, and she let the nickname slide.

"Not anymore you don't. It's obvious!"

"I can't believe you're reacting like this," he laughed, but it was cold and hollow, and neither found anything remotely amusing. "You're just saying this because you lost the bet."

"Is that what you think?" her light brown orbs widened for a fraction of a second before narrowing. This she could control. This could be manipulated until she was comfortable again. She didn't have to lose everything here, not if she played her cards right.

Lucas said nothing, mere nodding was enough. Striding the room with determination, Haley plopped onto his bed, one of the largest she had ever seen and had held many a girl before her. Including Brooke Davis, mere hours ago. The thought made her want to throw up, but the stakes were too high now, and Haley James wasn't a quitter. Leaning back, she slowly slid the black lace panties down her tan thighs. Tossing them casually at him, she sat back and spread her legs apart.

"Alright, come on, let's get this over with," a challenge was written all over her face as she picked up his cell phone from the bedside table. Flipping it open, she cast a disinterested gaze in his direction. She was pushing him now, pushing him to the limit and pushing him away. It would be hard for someone on the outside to understand the transformation that had just taken place within Haley James. Others would know that you always hurt the ones you love. "Whenever you're ready. Just stick it in. While you're doing that I'm just going to make some calls."

Poised halfway between the bed and the desk, Lucas was torn between wanting to jump her and wanting to run, far **_far_** away. He could feel her eyes boring into him, he could feel Brooke's angelic picture staring at him from the desk. How ironic, that he had never set much store by human beings but was quivering under the judgment of a photograph.

"That's not fair. You're taking all the fun out of it," Lucas protested, his voice shaking a little more than he would like. Smiling, Haley slid her legs closed and, crossing them, sat up on the bed.

"Then do me a favor and get rid of _her_," she snarled, pointing with her eyes at the photograph of his beautiful brunette girlfriend perched on his desk. Sighing, she continued, "If not for me, then do it for you! Look at you, Luke. You're a joke. She's turned you into jelly. What do you want to be, one of those losers who walk down the halls holding hands and smiling? People used to respect you. They _feared_ you and now you're going to throw that all away."

Lucas stared at her, lost in thought. She felt penetrated by his gaze, dirtier than any action could provoke. She liked it, this perverse feeling, and she continued to jeer him on as her words struck a cold blow. The naked truth was dancing in front of him now, making it impossible to ignore.

"Poor Lucas," she simpered, her mannerisms malevolent. "He used to be cool, and now he's just a love-struck faggot. One of the many."

Such a beautiful girl spewed such ugly words, the only person who had ever understood him turning into something else completely. It was as if Haley was an illusion in a fun house, the girl he had wickedly loved for all of these years suddenly twisting into smoke and mirrors as the lights flipped on. Suddenly he had a much better understanding of the whole point of this conversation. Haley's lights had been flipped on before his had, and she watched writhing in agony as he faded before her.

Wordlessly, he left the room. This was too much for him now, and he needed someone to talk it out with. Or maybe just to get high and forget for a little while. Either way, he knew just the place, and it was guaranteed to be open this late.

----------------

Smoke rings wafted lazily above them, creating a hazy environment for the entire room. It was littered with people, all passed out from their various vices. All but one, who worked meticulously at a desk, weighing and rolling what seemed like _pounds _of pot.

"Mouth, you in here?" Lucas called from the hallway, stepping carefully over the unconscious bodies of his classmates. Marvin McFadden, or as he was known fondly to his friends as Mouth, owned a massive place, and it had taken Lucas quite a while to find him. Some would be amazed that it paid so well, being a drug dealer, but Mouth descended from one of North Carolina's most prominent families. Of course, he had been disowned by the McFadden's, because it certainly did a family no good to have an openly gay drug dealer in the family. What society didn't know was that they had kept on providing for their baby boy long after the emancipation papers were signed.

"Uh huh. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" the scrawny young man said caustically, without taking his eyes off the joint. Satisfied with his work, he offered it to Luke as he walked in. Seriously considering it for a moment, the blonde waved it away and plopped onto the bed. It was a place Mouth had dreamed of him many a time… secretly of course. It certainly wasn't his fault his best friend was so fucking gorgeous. He and Lucas Scott had been friends since he was in third grade and Luke in first, mainly because neither was very good at making other friends. Since then, they had maintained a strong bond. Mouth was one of the only people in the world privy to Lucas's twisted relationship with his stepsister, which was why the ensuing conversation didn't surprise him in the least.

"Haley," Lucas sighed, and Mouth smiled inadvertently. It was always Haley, in some way, shape or form.

"What did the Ice Princess do this time?"

"She's pissed that I won the bet…"

"So she's refusing to fuck you?" Mouth's eyebrows rose. Haley James had been a bitch from day one, but she had always been a fair bitch.

"No, she offered," Lucas smiled a tiny bit. "But we didn't do it."

"You didn't! Hell Luke, _I'd_ fuck her!" he remarked, and both laughed a little. Funny, but so true.

"She took the fun out of it," Luke whined, before rethinking his words. "I don't even know how she did it. She just royally mind-fucked me."

"Yeah, because that's a first," snorted Mouth.

The words began to spill, the story so far painting itself a picture before Mouth's eyes as Lucas spoke. He actually felt kind of bad for his friend. He thought Luke had it a long time coming that a girl would finally one-up him, but his best friend looked so torn that he couldn't even muster an appreciation for the irony. It was the cliché dilemma, the virgin vs. the bad girl. Well, former virgin, anyway.

"So she's leaving you dangling, while your heart she is mangling?" Mouth intoned.

"I suppose," Lucas remarked grimly.

"You feel like you're going insane; got a fire in your brain; feeling rather like drinking gasoline?" Mouth said, lips curling slightly at a private joke. It was more a statement than a question, but Lucas nodded anyway.

"As a matter of fact--"he began, but Mouth continued.

"Now you toss and you turn, but damn, her cold eyes can burn," Mouth shivered at the memory of all the contemptuous glances he had received from the lovely Miss James. "And then you tried rebounding with Brooke, but now Haley wants you back."

"It seems that way."

"I bet you're thinking 'I'm defeated, I should give up right now,'" Mouth was beginning to get worked up.

"No, not re—," Lucas began.

"Just look on the bright side: you'd fall for her anyhow. Luke, you're dancing her dance. You never stood a chance. You might as well—,"

"Dance a tango to hell?" he chimed in lightly.

"At least you'll have tangoed at all," Mouth nodded.

"So why do I feel like your entire sermon was something out of a Broadway musical?" Lucas teased, laughter coating his voice despise the severity of his situation.

"I may have dipped into my RENT soundtrack earlier today," Mouth said with dignity, blushing furiously. "I wasn't done yet though. There are a few more good lines left in the song."

"Proceed," Lucas waved.

"You've just gotta dance until Diva is through. You pretend to believe her, 'cause in the end you **_can't_** leave her. But the end, it will come. Still, you have to play dumb, 'til you're glum and you bum and turn blue."

"Done now?" Lucas interrupted, impatience tearing him at the seams.

"Yeah, sure," Mouth sighed reluctantly, settling back in his chair.

"Well, now that I've gotten the advice of the Tango: Maureen, do you have anything to say directly related to the subject or should we see if Wicked is playing? Maybe Elphaba's got an idea," Lucas quipped.

"It comes down to this, I think," began Mouth seriously, looking strangely businesslike for someone so often stoned. "You and Haley are… you and Haley. You're Lucas and Haley. You're like the seventh wonder of the world—"

"Mouth, there are already seven wonders."

"Fine, the eighth then! Who gives a fuck? Anyway… a bond that strong isn't going to just go away, no matter how many times you fuck each other over. But if you pick someone over her, Haley will never forgive you. You know that. Are you willing to take your chances?"

_Are you willing to take that chance?_

----------------

_Hey guys. Thanks for all the reviews. I was very impressed that I got all those with only one night of having the chapter posted. Keep it up… please please please. Lol. I had a lot of fun with this chapter… mainly because I love RENT. Very much, actually. And the movie just came out. _

_Those who have read the original Cruel Intentions script will recognize parts of the Lucas/Haley confrontation at the beginning, but I figured since this is a CI-inspired fic, that's okay. Just give credit where credit is due. So this chapter owes props to RENT and Cruel Intentions lol._

_Thanks for reading!_

_Xo Sam _


	10. This Is How A Heart Breaks

**Beyond Good and Evil**

_Chapter Ten: This Is How A Heart Breaks _

There was no place like North Carolina. It wasn't like Los Angeles. In that city, it was all steel and concrete. It wasn't a real city, where people bumped into each other all the time, the hustle and bustle contained by each individual. It wasn't even like New York, a city in every sense of the word. The James-Scott family had lived in both cities for a little while, but Haley had always found it difficult to sleep in the cities of neon and chrome. They had returned to their roots, to North Carolina, where the people were pleasant and the streets were slow.

Even as their limo slowly rolled down the main road, there was an aura of comfort and laziness about everyone walking. The flowers bloomed beautifully, the trees casting soft shadows on the pavement. Tiny downtown cafes were as full as could be, full of people with smiles, laughter bursting forth every once in a while. However there were two souls making their way through, as isolated as if they weren't there at all.

The black limousine slowed to a stop in front of Oakwood Preparatory School Dormitories, so glossy it could serve as a mirror. The dorms were for out of town students with no where to stay during the year. Naturally, Haley James and Lucas Scott were not among them, but kept rooms there as a tradition as to have somewhere to escape when their real home got to be a bit too much.

Lucas Scott had very selective hearing. He turned a deaf ear to his teachers and peers, but was far more intelligent that you would think. At this moment, he was thinking of a plant he had once heard of. It was a sort of ivy, pretty enough, and it grew alongside trees. As they grew older, the ivy wrapped around the tree. Eventually though, it began to strangle it, sucking from it the life it found so vital, the nutrients it so desperately needed. The ivy used the tree, climbing to new heights with it, and sucking it dry. The tree would die, crumbling to the ground and the ivy would move on to another tree. He could feel the thin arm comfortingly around his back, feel the faint outline of his beloved stepsister's gold charm bracelet. It was such a familiar feeling, but he couldn't squash the notion that the ivy was wrapping itself tighter.

"Are you nervous?" she asked, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her full pink lips.

"What? No!" Lucas scoffed, but faltered a bit as he looked up at the intimidating building. "Okay, maybe a little."

"It shouldn't be that hard for you. How have you broken up with all those other girls?" Haley sneered a bit at the mention of his conquests, but there was a light air about her. She seemed like a child on the night before Christmas, excited and anxious and _happy_. Haley was beautiful, she really was, but sometimes Lucas found it hard to look at her. Why couldn't she at least pretend she gave a damn about this whole thing?

Of course, Haley James cared far more than she would let anyone know. She had lain awake the night before, the princess restless in her room of ice. The midnight blue walls mocked her, the silver gleaming so brightly it seared through her closed eyelids. That made her almost grateful, though, because each time the lids slid closed above her honey brown eyes, all she could see was Lucas kissing Brooke Davis goodnight, smiling slightly long after her car had pulled away. This was for the best, she knew it was. She could feel it deep down inside, but anxiety gnawed at her, bubbling beneath her perfect façade.

"Screening calls," Lucas snickered a little, and he and Haley shared one of their infamous smirks. Looking around, his ice blue eyes caught the sunlight gleaming off a window, and he could feel his troubles crash down upon his shoulders once again. Of course, he had no way of knowing whether that was Brooke's room or not, but immense guilt was setting in. "Any suggestions?"

Haley's face grew ponderous for a moment. "Well, once I knew this guy, and he had a girlfriend and they were madly in **_looove_**. But she had this unfortunate weight problem. A very, very large problem. His friends used to taunt him about it all the time. "It's embarrassing for you to be seen with her" and "How can you breathe when…" well, you know. He just couldn't take it anymore, so he dumped her. She flew on the defensive, and he just kept saying "I'm completely fucked up" over and over again." Haley's face looked strangely sympathetic, softened by the emotion she had always said was only for the soft. "Poor fatty never had a chance."

Lucas rolled his eyes slightly. Of course Haley didn't actually care about the girl, or her feelings, or how the beauty of what those two had had going down in flames because of peer pressure. Then he shook his golden head, wondering exactly when he had become such a fucking pussy. Climbing out of the car, he steeled his resolve as he made his way towards the dorms, but Haley called him back. He had always been in love with the sound of her voice, even when cold and cruel. It was melodic and soft, and she could actually sing quite well, as few people knew. He was one of the only people who had seen her sing, as he was one of the only people who had really _seen _her, and probably the only to accept what he saw.

"Don't be weak, Lucas," she called from the window, her honey eyes both pleading and warning as the car pulled away.

That was it. Haley could call him whatever she pleased (and God knows she had, on more than one occasion), but Lucas Scott was **not** weak. Now, he'd just have to prove it.

------------------

The room was standard. There was a full-sized bed of maple, a white down comforter, cream walls and plush carpeting. However, she had made it her own in the way only Brooke could. The walls were lined with photographs of her friends and family. The room was bursting at the seams with memories of things she had loved and things she had lost. Little bursts of color were added by pillows and throw blankets, and she was actually kind of in love with her room. It wasn't the James-Scott townhouse, but it was warm and cozy and much more her style.

"And this is my room," Brooke said breathlessly, eyes sparkling and cheeks rosy with the thrill of seeing him again. She had never been this affected by the presence of another human being, and was too caught up in her own thoughts and feelings to have her senses as acute as usual. The old Brooke Davis would've been able to sense that something was wrong. The real Brooke Davis would feel the betrayal oozing from his every pore. This love-struck edition of the beautiful brunette couldn't feel a thing.

"You must be Lucas! Brookie's told me some great things about you," a pretty redhead said from the computer, grinning as she looked him up and down. Naturally, she liked what she saw, but Lucas was too preoccupied to think of future conquests. All he could think about was the warm hand holding his own, and how much he'd like to keep holding on. "I'm going to go… next door," she continued, slipping past them with a thumbs-up at her friend. "Thanks for letting me use your printer, Brooke."

"Do you think we can be quiet?" Brooke giggled, face flushing at how brazen she was being. Lucas brought this out in her though.

_She's not the only one_.

They kissed for a moment, slowly and sweetly, but as Brooke's hands wandered to his belt, he pushed her away.

"This isn't working for me anymore," he said simply, waiting for her to pry her hands away from him. She would have to pull away, she would _have _to, because he couldn't imagine leaving the comfort that her soft presence brought him.

"Yeah, me neither," she laughed, her eyes dancing as she leaned back in. Oh, she thought he was joking. This wasn't how he anticipated it going at all. Finally, she noticed that he remained lifeless. "What's wrong?"

"It's not you, it's me," Lucas searched his mind listlessly for any pathetic excuse he could think of. Breaking up was hard to do, he had been told, and he was beginning to understand exactly why that was. The pain seeping in through cracks in the green of her eyes was starting to get to him. The tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes were too much for him to bear. To see someone he cared about so deeply in so much pain was almost impossible.

_And you're dancing her dance, so you don't stand a chance._

Mouth's words echoed in his head, the truth pounding messages to his bewildered brain. This was Haley's plan, this was her game, this was her sick amusement. But this was more than just another maneuver in the endless chess game that made up their lives. They were playing with Brooke too, and Lucas loved her too much for that. He would end up hurting her in the long run, so he would bite the bullet right now and spare himself. "I'm completely fucked up."

"What are you saying?" she said slowly, the pain still searing in her eyes as she glanced desperately at her, waiting for him to say he was kidding. It was on the tip of his tongue, but he forged on.

"What aren't you understanding?"

"I-I love you," her voice shook as her lower lip quivered, and in that moment, he resented her. He hated her for being so beautiful, and so perfect, and so good and kind. He hated her for making him feel, and for making him feel _bad_ right now. This was supposed to be easy, for him to just cut the cord, but she was making it so damn hard.

"I know," he sighed theatrically. "I know. I wish I felt the same. Unfortunately, I feel nothing. I think it was just the conquest. Sorry, I'm completely fucked up."

The dam broke, and tears flooded down her face with a large hiccup accompanying them. She was a mess right now, but an extraordinarily beautiful one, and she was the second girl in his entire life that he had ever wanted to comfort. Haley James being the first. But then again, she always was. The wedge between him and Brooke, the wench ruining his life. God, he hated her. God, he adored her.

"Why are you trying to hurt me?" she demanded, but instead of sounding strong and intimidating like she planned, she sounded childish. It was as if Lucas had stepped on her dolly instead of her heart.

"I'm just being honest," Lucas shrugged. "I just wanted to see what you were like in bed."

Something broke in her electric green eyes, something much stronger than a dam of tears. It entranced him, looking so familiar to him but so foreign in Brooke. She lunged for him, fists flying wildly, but he caught them and restrained her easily. Pushing her up against the wall, he held her in place with his body. She would accept it, even now, for him to call it off and tell her it was just a joke. If he could just lean forward and kiss her, they could work everything out later. For a second, she thought he just might, but what happened was so much worse.

Lips centimeters from her own, he whispered, "Calm down. I don't think you want your dorm mates thinking you're a psychopath. Assault could look pretty bad on your permanent record."

The fight drained from her then, and she slid to the floor as he walked away as if he had not a care in the world. Brooke Davis would have been content to sit there, stewing in her heartache for all of eternity. The infamous Davis pride interrupted even this.

"You don't know how to love," she whispered coldly.

"You don't even know me!" Lucas whirled around, glaring at her in a way she hadn't known a human being was capable of, nevertheless someone she loved so dearly. "The truth of the matter is, there _is_ someone I love. She's smarter, prettier… you don't even compare. The reason I'm here is because she wants us to be exclusive."

Lucas lied through his teeth, anything to take the triumphant glow out of those eyes he adored. No one won anything with Lucas Scott, and even though he broke her heart first, she wouldn't let her take his in return. Yet as these words left his lips, images of long blonde hair and honey brown eyes floated through his mind, and he found the words coming easier and easier.

"But you knew this was important to me," said Brooke, and her voice sounded as if a new wave of tears was about to break forth. It was one thing to be dumped because he was "fucked up", but if there was someone else, she didn't know how she would go on.

"What, your virginity?" he asked sardonically, a little smile curling his lips. "Well, that's over now."

Clutching her stomach, Brooke Davis keeled over and knew she was at her lowest moment. She didn't know this man, the one she loved so dearly, the one she had given everything to. He was cold and cruel and in love with someone else, leaving her with only dreams of the days before that made her wonder if she had imagined the whole thing.

He would leave now. Lucas Scott was striding confidently towards the door, knowing that if he just left, things would be over for him and Brooke forever. Chancing a glance at the large mirror on his way out, he saw the beautiful brunette in all her devastation, and without thinking, took a step towards her.

"Please go," she whispered, seeing the slight movement in her peripheral vision. Brooke refused to look at him, especially not in the eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes had told her lies before, weaved a fantasy world she was dying to live in. She wouldn't do that, not anymore. Not again.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and she had to strain her ears to catch the words. He looked sincere. He looked as if he meant it. But Lucas Scott had seemed sincere before, and now her heart was bleeding because of it. "I'm completely fucked up."

The door slid closed, as did her eyes. She reopened them when _sure_ he was gone. Grabbing the nearest object, she hurled it at the door after her. Glass vase. The flower petals scattered, the water splashed all over the walls, the fine glass shattered and fell to floor. She rather liked that…

Two hours later, a broken Brooke Davis sat on the floor in her dorm room, with only the fragments of many of her possessions surrounding her. It was the calm after the storm, she thought. This was the time in between, the only time where she'd be able to breathe. Tonight, when she lay her head back down, the pain would come back full force of the boy she had loved more than anything who had thrown her and their memories and her morals away. Right now, she would sit on the floor and just _breathe_.

"It's done, Brooke. It's done," she muttered as she could feel herself getting worked up again.

Yet even as the calm descended upon beauty, she couldn't help but think that she and Lucas were far from done.

------------------

_Lol guys, this is my first challenge story. It may be my last, if they're all as excruciating as this one! I'm killing myself to finish this story by TOMORROW. Thanks for the reviews! It's so exciting to get them in the one day between updates. _

_Thanks for reading, guys!_

_Xo Sam_

P.S. - There are about two more chapters. Why the hell would I spoil my fun and drive away certain reviews by revealing the pairings? Hahah. Just be patient guys.


	11. Welcome Home

**Beyond Good and Evil**

_Chapter Eleven: Welcome Home_

The noise was a warning. The mistress of the house was arriving, the princess was back, the devil was returning to her lair. The click-clack of her spiked heels sounded treacherous, but something mixed with the sound that made her sound almost vulnerable. "Vulnerable" was **never **a word that had been used to describe Haley James, but the lonesome echoing of her shoes in the museum-like house could almost make you feel bad for her. Poor little rich girl. What does she know about misery? A whole lot.

Lucas wasn't home yet. For some reason, his absence made the home seem a lot colder than it usually was, as if the restless energy he possessed could warm the entire townhouse. At this moment, he was with Brooke Davis. This knowledge was slowing eating her up inside. There was always the chance that he was just as weak as she goaded him about being. Lucas might not have broken it off with Brooke at all.

For God's sake, she couldn't even blame him if he didn't. It seemed like simple fundamentals: you can love Brooke, and you can only play games with Haley. Brooke will let you in, but Haley will _always_ keep you at arm's length. Brooke will let you know that she loves you, Haley will try to keep her secret until the day she died. Brooke was warmth, and Haley was freezing. When put in those terms, there was no question that Lucas should pick Brooke. After all, everybody wants to be adored, and it's no use if it's only done in secret.

The coldness of the house was starting to get to her, the shadows creeping under her skin. Strutting across her bedroom as if it were a catwalk, in typical Haley fashion, she made her way to the old-fashioned phone perched on her desk. This was when she realized that she was not quite as alone as she thought.

"Jesus!" she gasped, dropping the phone. As she realized it wasn't an intruder, at least, not a dangerous one, she felt sudden warmth spread through her. Awkward comfort seeped into all those places where insecurity had filled. "Little melodramatic, don't you think?"

"I have a flair for drama," a gorgeous blonde boy deadpanned from the corner. _Moron_, Haley thought to herself. Why he was wearing sunglasses, she hadn't the foggiest notion, but she was kind of glad he was sitting in the darkened room waiting for her anyway.

"Mind if I ask what you're doing in my room?" she smiled sweetly, aiming a death-glare at him over the intrusion upon her territory.

"I thought you would like to know what happened between Brooke and I," he said evenly. Sliding the sunglasses off his face revealed that his beautiful eyes were bloodshot. Dear God, was he crying? This was worse than she thought. Haley could feel pain darts take aim at her heart, feeling them all over as she thought about how he had been _crying _over the loss of Brooke. He certainly had never cried over the girls whose calls he had screened. Haley James could feel her resolve steeling, remembrance of a time long ago when her grandmother had provided her with the only advice she had **ever **taken.

_You've got to be cruel to be kind._

"It's over," he said simply, and the frost around her melted somewhat. As if catching herself in the very act of thawing towards him, she forced herself to maintain rigidity. There was no use accepting this as reconciliation when his heart was still in Brooke Davis's dorm room.

"Did she cry?" Haley smiled maliciously, watching as Lucas winced slightly at her question. He had never really understood her love of the damage she'd caused. They both led the lambs to slaughter, but she was the one to stick around and watch the bloodshed. It had been fucking painful to see that it was Brooke's which had been shed.

"Devastated beyond repair. I doubt she'll ever trust a man again," Lucas said, his voice hollow.

"Well done," Haley smiled sardonically, and her mocking tone hung in the air long after she had closed her mouth. Lucas held up a bottle of champagne and spoke in a falsely chipper tone.

"I thought we should celebrate!"

"I'd love to, but unfortunately, I'm expecting some company."

Something clouded Lucas's expression then, something suspiciously like jealousy, but Haley didn't dare to hope. "Oh, so it's true that you've been chasing after Jake Jagelski lately."

"I haven't been _chasing_ anyone," she sneered.

"Well, in any case, this is from Jake," he held up a stiff white envelope that seemed to glow in the dim light. "I haven't had the chance to read it yet, but I'm fairly certain it says something along the lines of "yadda yadda yadda, you mean a lot to me, yadda yadda I hope we can still be friends. Blah blah thanks for all your help et cetera et cetera." Lucas smiled grimly, obviously pleased at his own foresight. She knew she'd have to wait only minutes for him to boast. It had been the same for years.

"You see, I expected your sort of bullshit so I took the liberty of arranging a meeting between Jake and Peyton Sawyer. Don't they just make an _adorable _couple? Right now, they're having a little get-together in my love shack at the Grand Central Hyatt. I'm _so_ sorry he chose Peyton over you, but I promised him I'd see you through your crisis."

"Well done," Haley echoed her previous sentiments, struggling to contain the rage that boiled within. Lucas always knew exactly which buttons to push. He was angry with her for taking away the toy he loved most, and so he would drag back into the picture the girl she most despised. As if she hadn't just spent a large amount of her time stripping Peyton Sawyer of one hot, rich, popular boyfriend, now she'd have to do it all over again.

"Thank you," he smiled, so self-satisfied that she had a strange urge to kill him. It wasn't a new one. "Now, where were we? Ah yes. But what shall we toast to?" he bustled about, avoiding her eyes as he always did when there was something on his mind. Handing her a glass full of bubbling liquid, she stared at it, then to his bloodshot eyes where tears still moistened his cheeks, and knew what she had to do.

"To my triumph."

He looked utterly nonplussed for a second, before shrugging and downing the drink. "It's not my choice of toasts, but it's up to you. To your triumph over Brooke."

Her laughter sounded disembodied, echoing around the midnight blue room, seeming to bounce off the chandelier and mirrors and smack both stepsiblings in the face.

"What's so funny?"

"Silly rabbit," Haley cooed, making her way around a coffee table to perch on an 18th century French sofa. She had to keep her distance, to remain out of reach. If he couldn't touch her, he couldn't reach her, and he couldn't break through her guise. She had to fool him now, to let him go, because she loved him in such a twisted, blackened part of her heart that the only thing she could think to do was hurt him and force him to be gone. "My triumph isn't over her. It's over you."

"Come again?" he sputtered, but the look on his face wasn't one of outrage or surprise. It looked as if he knew exactly what she meant, but couldn't figure out why she was saying it. Was she _trying_ to hurt him?

_Well, yes._

"You were very much in love with her and you're still in love with her. But it amused me to make you ashamed of it. You gave up on the first person you ever loved because I called you names. Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered that you chose me over her, but please understand, I never loved you, Lucas. You're just a toy. A little toy I like to play with. And now you've completely blown it with her. I think it's the saddest thing I've ever heard," Haley smiled, a wide smile baring all of her teeth, an animal cornered in its cage, lashing out to save itself. "Cheers!"

Clinking her glass against his empty one, Haley kept her light eyes locked on his own as she downed her champagne. God knows she needed it, and maybe a few more afterwards, for this confrontation. Lucas, on the other hand, looked as if he was already ill.

"In any event, you still owe me my reward," his eyes glimmered at the prospect, fighting to keep his temper down. In all his years, he had never struck a lady, and didn't plan on changing that now, but Haley's mocking tone seemed to fill his mind, taunts of '_You're just a toy, Lucas_' filling his head until he'd do anything to make her leave him be.

_Well, almost anything._

"I'm sorry, but unfortunately, I don't fuck losers," she said it slowly, annunciating each word brutally, as if each one was delivering him a blow. And so he struck her. Before he realized what he was doing, Lucas's hand had raised as if of its own accord and backhanded the first woman he had ever loved.

In that instant, he was frightened. Not because she was a girl, which meant that she was very likely to cry, or because he might have hurt her. No, in his mind, the logical next step was retribution. The look on her face wasn't hurt or betrayed, but shock. It screamed _How dare you hit me! _And for a moment, he wondered if she'd ever been hit before.

For the second time that day, a girl flung themselves angrily at him. Her tiny fists flew wildly as they toppled to the floor. Struggling viciously, Lucas would freely admit that he was scared shitless at what would happen if Haley got the upper hand. Pinning her to the ground, he attempted soothing words for only a moment. Haley wasn't Brooke or any other girl. She wasn't even a girl, she was a woman, and she would not be pacified by empty words or promises.

"Nobody hits me!" she snarled, still thrashing long after her back hit the hardwood floor.

"Calm down!" he whispered harshly, noticing the close proximity between them. Their noses bumped gently as Haley's movement slowed.

"Fine, then get off of me."

Her finely featured face was confident now. Anger still burned in her eyes, but it was settling into the cold fury it usually held. Haley James had a vendetta against the entire world, an irritation at being born into the so-called "weaker sex" and in her mind, for that, everyone should pay. With this grudge, she had manipulated everyone around her, using it as justification. Now, it felt like it was all she had, but if with it came control, she could deal. She looked certain that he was going to obey her, and all he felt like doing now was showing her that he wasn't anyone's fucking _toy_.

So he kissed her.

And to his surprise, she kissed him back, and continued to do so until air became an issue. Resting his forehead against hers, he noticed how tired she looked. Her face was picture perfect, of course, but something in her eyes had grown old and given up, and she managed a weary, "Just get off, Luke."

Complying reluctantly, Lucas Scott stood, blushing off his designer suit and lending a land to Haley. She got up, this time it was she who was deliberately avoiding his eyes.

"I'm very sorry about…" he tried to find words. _I'm sorry I just slapped you? _No, not quite it. "….that."

"Apology accepted. Now get the fuck out."

"What?" he actually looked surprised, and the gorgeous blonde congratulated herself on the ability to shock the unflappable Lucas Scott. But he wasn't really him, not really. Being with Brooke had made him weak, but judging by his recent actions, there was hope for him yet. "We had an agreement."

"Well, once upon a time, we both agreed that we'd never fall in love, but you had no trouble going back on that one. Forgive me if I return the favor," bitterness sprung a leak within her, filling every bit of her tiny body as she glared menacingly at him.

"I'm not leaving," he said plainly, breaking the stalemate between them.

"You're in love with her," Haley countered, stomping her foot.

"Yeah," Lucas admitted, blushing slightly at this weakness in their eyes. "But I'm not leaving you."

"Why the hell not?" Haley was confused now, and she didn't like it one bit.

"Because I love her **_now_**, but damn it Haley, we're a team. I've _always_ loved you, just like you've always loved me, and we both love head games even more."

She was silent for a moment, her downcast eyes tracing lines on the expensive floors as his own eyes bored holes into her head.

"We're Lucas and Haley. Haley and Lucas. We're like an indomitable source of evil. If we break up, then who's going to fuck up the world? You can't do it alone, whether you like it or not," his voice sounded pleading now. He was begging her forgiveness, pleading to take him back after betraying each rule they had ever lived by. She surprised even herself by being willing to. There was a strange truth in his words, and like it or not, they were eternally bonded together. They were twisted and cruel and lonely, but they had always had each other to share in the vast emptiness.

The world was theirs to own, to control, and to manipulate. But God, it was cold at the top and deep down, Haley was just like every other girl—dying to keep warm.

Curling her arms around his neck, it no longer felt to Lucas like she was the vines sapping the life out of him. She was the life within him, the blood pumping through his veins. Brooke was certainly something to him, but Haley was everything, and he'd be even more of an asshole than people thought if he let that go.

Together they stood, because divided they fell. It wasn't really peaceful, their moment wrapped around each other, because it was really just them stepping over the cracks. Their relationship was wounded, both their prides had taken a blow. They were carefully avoiding their weak spots now, because for the moment they would rather just _be_. Outside the midnight blue of the bedroom, the world waited to tear them apart. A desperate and hurt Brooke Davis was seeking revenge, along with allies who could prove equally treacherous. Outside this bedroom was a world far less understanding of their intricate relationship. Outside the haven where they embraced, there was an entire world waiting to see the James- Scott family fall from its pedestal.

But Haley wouldn't worry about that now. When the sun arose, casting shadows among the expensive belongings, her enemies would still be laying in wait. And so they could wait. In this moment, the beautiful blonde wanted to just enjoy the fact that she loved him and he loved her and for the moment, they were safe.

But only for a moment.

------------

_Hey guess what. I was wrong. There's nowhere near enough time to give this the ending I originally planned, so you'll have to settle for this and the sequel, and I hope I didn't completely fuck it up. _

_This is it, guys, and I'm really sorry. There might just be an epilogue, and there's most definitely a sequel. This story will be updated once more, even if there's no epilogue, to give you a teaser towards the sequel. I've absolutely loved reading this, and for my brucas fans… keep the faith for the sequel. Hint? Perhaps. Thank you all for reading, I really adore you guys, and I'm flattered beyond belief that you stuck with it even when the pairings you wanted went to hell lol. It means more to me than you know._

_Thanks for reading,_

_Xo Sam_


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